Christmas 2017 at Disneyland Paris truly is bigger and better than ever. That much seemed obvious even before the season began as the list of features was rather long; not only is there a lot of new things to do but they are mostly of a sublime quality. Christmas 2017 is probably the most complete seasonal offering that has ever been provided by Disneyland Paris.
Mickey’s Christmas Big Band
Mickey’s Christmas Big Band is the unexpected star of the season. It’s become almost traditional for Disneyland Paris to offer a Christmas jazz music show and in previous years this has been filled by the Jingle Bell Boys show. This year however, this slot has been filled by a new offering, Mickey’s Christmas Big Band; this show is a complete experience featuring musicians, the Disney characters, live singers and a wonderful choreography.
Once again, Disneyland Paris is proving that when it comes to live entertainment that the resort is brimming with talent. The concept has been taken from Tokyo Disney Sea’s Big Band Beat, but the addition of wonderful costuming opportunities and an immense tap choreography is all Paris. Mickey’s Christmas Big Band is a show that the resort can truly be proud of and we can only hope that the run away success provides an incentive for this type of show to become year-round.
Disney’s Christmas Parade
The festive favourite returns for 2017 but with a new soundtrack that really does increase the energy of a parade that was already packed full of joy. Christmas is Here is a truly wonderful song that is a worthy successor to Chante c’est noël and one that will hopefully live in the parks for years to come.
The parade is almost identical to previous years, and this is no bad thing. It is a truly wonderful parade that oozes with festive cheer; make sure to watch the parade from Main Street USA and see the snow fall as the characters and dancers come past.
A Merry Stitchmas!
This year the Royal Castle stage welcomes A Merry Stitchmas, a fun show featuring Stitch and the Disney characters. The show is highly musical with all your favourite Christmas songs. Stitch brings a touch of humour and some Hawaiian Christmas magic (who would have thought you’d be listening to Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride is a Christmas show?).
All in all this show is deservedly popular and features a fun soundtrack and some fantastic costumes.
Mickey’s Magical Christmas Lights
This is the only show that is really unchanged at all from previous years, but the magic of seeing Mickey, Minnie and Santa turning on the big Christmas Tree on Main Street USA is unrivalled.This is probably one of the most magical moments that Disneyland Paris provides in a single year. It’s main downfall this year is that it is pitched against the superior Goofy’s Incredible Christmas show in the Walt Disney Studios park.
The Enchanted Advent Calendar
The Enchanted Advent Calendar is a daily show that takes place at 10am by the castle. Essentially the idea is that each morning a child is picked to open the advent calendar door and receive whatever gift is behind it. This is great if your child is the one that has been selected to receive the gift, the rest of the audience watches on and may purchase that gift (and is given a prominent position in the Emporium).
This concept needs to be worked on, but it is cute for the family involved and the gifts have been items that would be wanted by guests.
Sing me a Merry Christmas
This is the blip on the wonderful Christmas season. The Sing me a Merry Christmas show revolves around hosts (and characters) singing through a Christmas playlist on an iPod. The singing is often quite poor and the song selection is not the greatest – it seems rather baffling that they picked a performer with a very strong French accent to sing this show in English. It makes for a rather cringeworthy show.
That’s not to say that there are not good moments in the show, the Feliz Navidad section is really good fun especially when the performers take the effort to really involve the audience.
Goofy’s Incredible Christmas
This is the star of the 2017 festive season at Disneyland Paris. Goofy’s Incredible Christmas is a 20 minute journey into the magical world of Santa’s workshop as Christmas is prepared for the boys and girls of the world. What follows is an emotional foray into Christmas filled with magic, Disney characters, wonderful Christmas songs and spectacular surprises.
The show puts the Walt Disney Studios park on the map and is possibly one of the best evening spectaculars we’ve ever had in Disneyland Paris (Dreams! still comes out on top, of course). It’s difficult to describe the feelings produced as the park lights up with its Christmas lights but it also a feeling of pride as the resort is finally taking our second gate seriously.
Character Meet and Greets
Santa Goofy is the star of the 2017 Christmas meet and greet at Disneyland Paris; meeting daily in the Front Lot area of the Walt Disney Studios Park, this is a fun meet for all the family. Christmas Mickey and Minnie are meeting (individually) in the Art of Animation but queues do form early so ensure that you arrive early to meet your favourite character.
Over in Disneyland Park guests can meet Marie, Scrooge McDuck, Thumper, Miss Bunny and Sandy Claws.
Decorations
The decorations are largely unchanged for this year, however there are a few notable differences. The 25th anniversary means that Christmas has taken on a beautiful blue shade. This looks slightly strange during the day, but it comes alive at night as the colours pop and really do look in keeping with the rest of Main Street. The Central Plaza decorations have also been moved into Town Square.
The garlands make their return to Main Street as does the large Christmas tree; the sounds of Christmas fill the air with the festive musical loop on Main Street. There is truly nothing like walking into a festive Disneyland Park.
A wonderful Disney Christmas of magic
Christmas 2017 is hands down one of the most magical Christmas seasons that we have seen at Disneyland Paris. The entertainment offerings are truly special and the whole look and feel of the season blends seamlessly into the 25th anniversary. This is a wonderful place to build from and Disneyland Paris has cemented itself as the Disney resort to visit during the Christmas season.
